Fighting the Dishonored
by HBCTodd
Summary: Bellatrix Black is in her 7th year, and cousin Sirius has just started at Hogwarts
1. Sorting

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. The ideas are mine.**

_They all deserve to die. Tell you why, Mrs. Lovett, tell you why! Because in all of the whole human race, Mrs. Lovett, there are two kinds of men and only two. There's the one staying put in his proper place and one with his foot in the other one's face. Look at me, Mrs Lovett! Look at you! No, we all deserve to die... Even you, Mrs Lovett, even I! Because the lives of the wicked should be made brief. For the rest of us death will be a relief. We all deserve to die_

_~Sweeney Todd_

**Chapter 1**

"Gryffindor," the Sorting Hat shouted.

"Hey Bella, isn't that your cousin?"

Bellatrix Black glared at Scabior. Her cousin Sirius Black had dishonored the family again.

"Yes, but what does it matter? He will be outcast from the family as soon as I write home to mother. Everyone in the Black line has been put in Slytherin. We hate Gryffindor. Sirius won't stand a chance at getting through the year with our hazing. Don't you think?" Bellatrix smiled at Scaboir. She knew that all her friends would help her make Sirius' life a misery.

The sorting over, Bella got up from the table, and motioned for Scaboir to follow. As the pair started walking over to the Gryffindor table, Cissy walked over to them.

"So Bella," Cissy whispered, "when is he going to leave?" Bellatrix's face was a stone. Slowly she started to laugh.

"Tomorrow, if I have anything to do with it," she hissed.

Bella pushed away from Cissy, and once again headed to the Gryffindor table. Eyes searching, she found her cousin sitting with two other boys, one with round glasses and the other looking like he had be hit by a broomstick.

Shaking with anger, Bellatrix walked over to the small group. "Sirius Black, you've dishonored the family, again!" She ranted. Sirius on the hand remained calm.

"Cousin Bella, I hope you are enjoying the feast. This is James and Remus," Sirius paused for a moment. "I see you and Scaboir are not enjoying it. Where is Rodolphus? I thought you would be spending time with all your evil little friends."

Bellatrix sneered. Sirius always had the nerve to say what was on his mind, and never understood why some people would have liked to turn him into a snake.

"Leave my friends alone. You should be worrying about what everyone will say when they hear a Black was put into Gryffindor. No one in the family will ever respect you again." Bellatrix laughed. She never liked Sirius. He was nothing like everyone else in the family. He didn't believe in darkness.

Sirius stood up from the table and looked Bellatrix in the eye. "I'm not like you Bella," he whispered. "I chose Gryffindor for a reason. I don't believe in Him, and I never will. I don't care what our family thinks of me."

Bellatrix was shaking again. "Be careful Sirius, I have a lot of power at this school. My friends follow me, and will destroy you."

Sirius laughed. "I don't think it will come to that Bella. Nothing and no one can make me leave Gryffindor." Sirius sat back down and resumed talking to his friends.

Bellatrix turned around, robes spinning around. Storming back to the Slytherin table, Bella found her friends. Rodolphus turned around to face Bellatrix.

"So war begins." He stated. Bellatrix smiled, and started laughing again.


	2. Cursing

Bellatrix fell down on the couch in the Slytherin common room.

"Why," she ranted, "does he make this so hard! He comes here and totally makes a fool of himself!" Bellatrix got up and paced across the room. Rodulphus and Scabior watched her, not thinking about what to do.

"Well, you never even liked him Bella. Andromeda told me at your summer party. Can't you find another person to make miserable?" Scabior asked, not realizing Bella's rage increasing. A faint fire was burning from her wand tip, held in her hand.

Just as Bella was about to start yelling and hexing Scabior for speaking against her, a first year that she had seen at the Sorting ceremony came into the common room.

"Excuse me," he whispered, "can you…" Before he could finish his question, the first year was suspended from his ankles at the common room ceiling. Bellatrix waved her wand, and tucked it back into her robes. Rodulphus and Scabior stared at her in astonishment. She had not uttered a single word, and had just pointed her wand at the boy.

Rodulphus spoke up first. "Where did you learn that, Bells?"

Bellatrix laughed, and wore an evil grin. "Slughorn spent some extra time when I asked him about unspoken magic. Took me 'bout 10 minutes to master it."

Leaving the first year hanging in midair, Bella returned to ranting about her delusional cousin. "I just don't get it. It's like he doesn't get what is at stake. I'm the one who has to suffer from his intolerance."

Scabior looked at her with wonder. She truly understood what it meant to be a pureblood.

"What's your plan then?" he asked. "Looks like he has friends to support him, even if they are filthy, little mudbloods."

Bellatrix sat back down, pulled out her wand, and began torturing flies as they sat on the walls. Scabior and Rodulphus were right, she thought. Sirius had mudbloods as friends, yet surely they would be frightened of her. She, Bellatrix Black had managed to produce multiple spells at once, without whispering a word if needed.

"I'll send an owl to the family tonight. The reply will be here by breakfast and then Sirius will be brought to shame. And once again, the Black's will be superior." Bella stood up and without saying goodnight, left the common room for her dorm.

Bellatrix sat down on her bed, and took a piece of parchment, quill and ink from her trunk. She leaned back against her pillow and began to write the letter to her family.

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_ In best interest of the noble house of Black, could you please disinherit Sirius from the family? Tonight, he was inducted into pitiful Gryffindor, and has become friends with a number of mudbloods and blood traitors. Everyone in the Black family has been in Slytherin house, and our dear cousin Sirius has ruined this tradition. Our pureblood name is at stake, and I do not want Sirius to ruin our family._

_ Bellatrix Black _

Bella read the letter over before folding it and taking it to the owlry. On her way back to the dungeons, Bella spotted Cissy and Lucius coming out of the common room entrance. Moving quietly, she pasted them, and whispered in Cissy's ear.

"He won't be here come morning." Cissy stared at her sister in wonder. Nodding slowly, she pulled Lucius away and heading towards the library.

Bella strutted into the common room, holding herself proud. Scabior and Rodulphus we nowhere to be seen, but she noticed the first year still suspended into midair. She smirked, and walked past the boy and into her dorm. This was why she loved her friends. Word had probably gotten out that she had done the spell, so no one would undo and help the kid. Most people were scared of her, and they deserved to be. Last year in Potions, she had killed some Ravenclaw's toad. Professor Slughorn hadn't even punished her, and blamed it on a potion gone wrong.

Sitting on her bed, Bellatrix pulled out a book she had found in the library. Travers had helped her break into the restricted section in her second year. They had both taken a number of books, but Bella's favorite was _Controlling the Dark Arts_. Most of the spells and hexes she had learned were spoken of in the book.

Reading her favorite part of the book, Cissy walked into the room. She came over to Bella and sat down on her bed.

"Wotcha reading Bella," she asked, trying to see the section's title.

Bella didn't look up from the page, but replied plainly. "_Controlling the Dark Arts_. I'm reviewing the unforgettable curses. Trying to decide which one to us on Sirius, and his mudblood friends. Would you really miss him if I killed him, 'cause that would solve the immediate problem."

"Not really," Cissy muttered, not wanted to argue with her sister while she was thinking about killing someone. "Annie wouldn't like it, but the family would be better off without him. Even Regulus would support you. He's cursing some rats that he found right now, trying to eventually kill them I think." Cissy paused and stared at her sister, wondering how she got the book.

Bellatrix saw her staring, and guessed what she was about to ask.

"Travers helped me get it from the restricted section in my second year. I've know how to do all the stuff since then. Scabior and I practice on most the Gryffindors. No one suspects that it's us doing it. The teachers haven't taught any of the stuff in these books. I wish they would though, this stuff is golden."

Cissy laughed at her. "I love you Bella. You'll do the family proud. If someone is going to torture muggles into insanity and kill them, it's you." Cissy got up and left the room, heading down to the common room.

Bella hid the book under her bed, and pulled out her wand. Finding a spider crawling across the room, she whispered, "Avada Kedava." The sider instantly stpooed crawling, hit by Bellatrix's death spell.

Laughing, Bellatrix fell down on her bed, tired from reading her book.

Barely awake, she heard Cissy come into the room with Alecto Carrow. Cissy saw the dead spider lying on the door, and walked by it undisturbed. Alecto stopped and stared at it though, not understanding why a dead spider was on the floor, not even squished. Cissy got into her bed and noticed Alecto.

"Bella was in a bad mood today," Cissy yawned, "she was reading a book about curses and felt like trying it out on a spider. You should get used to it."

Alecto nodded and got into her own bed. Cissy was already asleep and not aware that Alecto was staring at Bellatrix, wondering why she had murdered the spider.

The next morning, Bellatrix woke up to find an owl perched beside her bed. Taking the letter off of its leg, she ripped the seal and quickly read it.

Bellatrix Black,

After speaking with the family, we will not disinherit Sirius. However, he will be punished, and we do not require you to speak to him, as he is not in Slytherin. Please do not get yourself expelled in the attempt to kill your cousin. Sirius will be dealt with at winter break, and therefore you do not need to worry about him. Please focus on your NEWT levels this year.

Druella and Cygnus

Bella torn the letter up and threw it into the fireplace. She wanted the family to kill Sirius, not give him a talk about being the only Black to be put in Gryffindor. No one else seemed to care about what the Malfoy family and other purebloods would think. The Blacks were the most prestigious of the purebloods, and Sirius had just ruined that.

Bellatrix quickly got dressed and grabbed her wand from her trunk before flying down the stairs to the common room. She was still furious about the letter, when she found Scabior sitting in a dark green chair by the fire.

"Let's go," Bellatrix ordered, and threw Scabior his bag from the other chair.

Scabior got up and took the bag. "I take it the family doesn't care about Sirius," he whispered.

Bella glared at him, "all but three."

Walking up the stairs to the Great Hall, Bellatrix and Scabior met up with Rodolphus and Dolohov. Silently they all walked into the Great Hall. Bellatrix immediately spotted Sirius and his friends. Waving to her friends to follow, she sauntered over to the Gryffindor table.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the family traitor, sitting with his mudblood friends," she sneered. "I would kill you right now, but then Professor Dippet would have me shipped to Askaban."

Sirius laughed at his cousin. "I'm happy to that you take murder seriously, Bella. The family would be truly shamed if you ended up in Askaban. Besides, my parents are fine with me staying at Hogwarts, and you can't really do anything about that."

Bella glared at him, trying not to immediately kill him. Rodolphus leaned in and whispered in her ear, "have some fun with this, Bells."

Bellatrix turned around, and took out her wand. Pointing it at Sirius, she whispered "Crucio."


	3. Anger Management

Sirius started twitching, and slowly began to scream. The Great Hall was dead quiet; everyone had turned to see why Sirius was screaming. Bella turned away, still pointing her wand at Sirius. She loved seeing Sirius in pain, and the fact that he couldn't escape it made her excited.

Finally putting her wand away, Bellatrix left the Gryffindor table and returned to her friends at the Slytherin table. Sitting down between Dolohov and Cissy, Bella started at Sirius, who was now barely able to talk to his friends. _At least no professors have taken notice of him, _Bellatrix thought; _I would be in a hell of a lot of trouble. That curse is illegal, but I don't care._

Rodolphus sat down between Bella and Cissy, trying not to draw attention to the fact that it was Bellatrix that had cast the curse. "How you did that so well,"he whispered, "you didn't even yell at him. You cause him so much pain, and you didn't cast the spell for very long."

Bella smirked. "I've had lots of practice. It works better when you have build up anger behind the spell. You've got to mean the spell and enjoy the pain you cause." She paused for a minute, glaring at Sirius again. "Sirius will learn that I will always be in control of our family. If he tries to fight back, I swear I will kill him some day."

Rodolphus smiled and rose from the table, heading for the doors. Bellatrix rode and quietly followed him, not wanting to be noticed.

She caught up to Rodolphus as he was heading for the dungeons. "Are you coming with me?" she asked. "Quidditch pitch. I'm captain now, and I want to practice before tryouts."

Rodolphus nodded as the pair entered the common room. "See you in minute," said Rodolphus, going down the stairs to his dorm.

Running to her room, Bella donned her Quidditch robes and pick up her new Nimmbus broomstick, given to her by her parents when she was made the Slytherin Captain.

Meeting Rodolphus in the common room, they both put their brooms over their backs, and headed out to the pitch.

Walking down the hill towards the pitch, Bellatrix spotted Sirius and James Potter walking by the lake. She frowned. It looked as though no permanent damage had been done by her curse; Sirius was only a little unsteady on his feat.

Turning her attention back to Rodolphus, she grabbed the chest from the changerooms, and continued onto the middle of the pitch.

"Do you want me to let the snitch go?" Rodolphus asked her, opening the chest. Bellatrix was the team's seeker, and hadn't lost a game since she had made the team in her second year.

"No. Pick up your bat, and let's just try to knock each other off our brooms. Good way to get our anger out, if you ask me. Rodophus nodded, and passed her the other practice bat.

"Ready?" he asked. Bella nodded, and undid the bulger straps.

Quickly mounting her broom, she took off and immediately hit the bugler, and sent it flying at Rodulphus' face. He narrowly missed colliding with it, and dove sideways. Bella laughed, flying around in little circles.

"Aren't you our team's beater," she mocked. "I'm not even one and I almost took you off your broom."

Rodolphus smirked at her, and hit the bulger directly at her back, hoping it would crush her. The pair was extremely competitive in Quidditch and anything else they did together.

Flying away from the ball, Bellatrix turned around and sent it back, aiming for his broom. Rodolphus couldn't move in time, unaware of when Bella had aimed the bulger. The rock hard bulger hit the end of his broom, catapulting him into the air.

Bellatrix pulled out her wand, and pointed it at the falling Rodolphus. "_Aresto Momento_," she mocked, and flew down to the ground, just as Rodolphus collapsed onto the ground in a heap.

Laughing, she helped Rodolphus to his feet. "I win Roddy," she squealed. "I would say have another round, but you don't seem to be fairing that well. We also have class in 'bout an hour." Picking up her broomstick, Bellatrix started up the hill to the castle, thinking of other ways to get back at Sirius, when Regulus came up behind her.

"Good job at breakfast cousin, but I don't think he got the message. Still looks too cheerful and full of light to me." Regulus always was good at being secretive, and was the one Bella counted on for secrecy when it came to family matters.

"Bloody hell Reg, how did you find out it was me. Even Sirius couldn't figure it out, and he was the one being tortured." Bellatrix stopped and stared at Regulus. If he could figure out it was her, probably other people in the school by now knew. Anyone not in Slytherin would immediately tell Dippet, and she would be expelled.

"I could only guess what spell it was, and who would know it. I also heard the caster had to enjoy pain. You hate Sirius so much, couldn't believe you didn't out right kill him." Regulus smiled at Bella.

"Well," she smirked," you're right 'bout that. I almost did, but Roddy convinced me to have a bit of fun first. Also couldn't kill him right there could me now." Bella turned and stared at him, trying to read his expression. Even though Regulus was only in his fifth year, he knew almost as much dark magic as Bella herself.

Regulus noticed his cousin staring at him. "So you gonna join him when you finished 'er?" he asked.

Bellatrix nodded. If her parents hadn't insisted her finishing school, she would have joined the Dark Lord when she had finished her OWLS. "Why wouldn't i?" she replied. "Learn plenty more stuff that way. Only way I'll get to do what I want."

Regulus laughed. "Kill, torture and take over the world, all without ending up in Askaban. You're setting pretty high expectations for yourself Bells. I'm gonna join soon as I'm outta here. Can't wait to see what you've become in a few years." Regulus turned and walked away, leaving Bellatrix to walk back to her dorm.


	4. Changes

**Chapter 4**

Leaning back on her chair, Bellatrix kicked her feet up on her desk; bored of listening to Professor Bins drool on about the Goblin Wars. Playing with her wand, she began to burn a hole in Travers chair, who was sitting in from of her, falling asleep.

_Why, _she thought, _do I even care about Goblins? If I meet one, I'll torture it until it dies. Besides, when the Dark Lord controls everything; the bloody History of Magic book will be burned and rewritten._

There was a sudden roar, and Bella opened her eyes to see her _History of Magic_ book devoured in flames upon her desk. Everyone turned and stared at Bella, wondering what had happened. She quickly pulled out her wand and put water on the flames, smothering the fire.

"Miss Black, could you please excuse yourself from the room, visit the Headmaster and explain why you set your book upon fire." Bins spoke slowly, making the entire class look at Bellatrix.

Grumbling, Bella picked up her back, and gathered the remains of the text book. Glaring at everyone as she made her way to the doors, Bella almost hexed a snickering Gryffindor when she passed.

Bellatrix wouldn't have gone to Dippet if she hadn't really cared, but she had a feeling that burning a school book wasn't a good thing.

Walking up to the Headmaster's office, Bella noticed Regulus sitting outside the door. Regulus had a puzzled look on his face, until he saw what was left of the book.

"Wotcha do this time?" Bella asked, sitting down beside him.

"Well," Regulus sighed," Sirius decided that it would be a good idea to try and hex me. I didn't really want to do anything, but well I thought I should put him back in his place."

"So…" Bella pestered.

"So I used _Sectumsempra_ and Slughorn happened to be right behind me. So he sent me here." Reg pointed at Dippet's door. "50 points from Slytherin and a week of polishing silver for Filch"

Bella nodded and got up. "Well I have to go explain why the book caught fire." She winked and walked into Professor Dippet's office.

Professor Dippet was sitting in a chair next to his desk, looking out the windows of his office. He turned his head as he heard Bellatrix walk into the room.

"Miss Black, please take a seat," he directed, pointing at a large chair.

Bella sat down, and put her burnt book on his desk, wondering what her punishment would be.

"So Bellatrix," he stared, "please explain what happened this afternoon to your _History of Magic_ book."

"Well I was sitting in class and my book burst into flames. I didn't do anything!" Bella almost got up and stormed out of his office, but her resent for him make her stay.

"No book can burst into flames by itself. You or another student must have used a spell to burn the book," he insisted.

Bellatrix started to speak, but Dippet stopped her. "I do not want to get into a war with you, Miss Black. A new book will be sent to your dorm, and we ignore what has happened here today. However, I do not wish to see your face in this study, agreed?" He was now staring Bella directly in the eye.

Bella slowly nodded her head, not wanting to argue when she didn't have any detentions yet. Professor Dippet nodded, and she left the room, wondering why she had been sent there in the first place.

She met Regulus in the corridor, heading back to the common room. Smiling, Bella began to explain what happened in the meeting.

"You don't even have to buy a new book?" Regulus questioned, "And no detention for even arguing back to a Professor?" He began to laugh. "I don't know how you pulled that one off Bells, but next time; make it a Gryffindor's book." Bellatrix grinned and walked away, leaving Reg to wonder just how the book exactly did catch fire.

Back in the common room, Bella sat down beside Rodulphus, and told him about the meeting. He asked the same things Regulus had, laughing at the side comments about Dippet she had made.

"I really like you Bellatrix," he whispered. Getting up from the couch, Rodulphus headed down into his own dorm, leaving Bella there to wonder what had made him say that he loved her.

Sitting there by herself, Bella turned her focus back to revenge. Sirius knew that Bellatrix and her friends were after him; she knew that if they were to do anything serious, then it would have to been done with him alone.

Deciding that revenge would be better planned in the morning, she pulled out her Potions homework. Picking up a quill and parchment Bella opened her textbook to _Draught of the Living Dead_ chapter. Slughorn had asked the class for a one foot long parchment on the potion's uses and how to make it.

After an hour of staring at a blank parchment, Bellatrix put her quill down and threw the parchment into the fire. Tired of thinking about potions, she took out her wand and began to play with the thread of fire that she had created.

Regulus watched Bella cautiously, trying to read her emotions. He walked over to the couch, and quietly sat down beside her.

"Need any help?" he asked quietly, not wanting anyone else to hear him. Bella shook her head, still staring at her wand.

"He won't care," she stated, whipping her head around to look him in the eyes. "I'll just tell him I had Quidditch practice; he'll let me off, always does." Bella got up and began to pace the room, pushing other kids out of her way.

"Chill Bells." Regulus stretched out on the couch. "We'll get him soon enough. We have a room full of kids who are soon gonna be Death Eaters here, and they aren't gonna defy you."

Bellatrix sat back down on the couch and sighed. "Your right Reg, but what if he actually lives! Think of what everyone's gonna say. The name 'Black' won't mean a thing. It will mean 'blood traitor'. We'll be lower than Weasley. The Malfoy's won't even be able to look at us." Bellatrix picked up her book again and opened it back up to the page she was on.

Regulus stared at his miserable cousin, and pulled the book out of her hands. "It won't happen, not with you around," he whispered. "I'll do this. You go kill him, or find something to practice on, even if you hardly need it." Bella passed her parchment and quill to him. Grinning, she got up and headed out the door, looking to find the Room of Requirements again.

Stepping through the wooden door, Bellatrix entered the Room of Requirements. She had been in the room hundreds of times, each time looking better than before, as she clearing thought of what she needed. Imagining what you wanted a room to look like was hard, she learned when she discovered the room in her first year. At first, the room only had a dueling dummy, but over the years, it had begun to acquire everything Bella needed; from live spiders and book to a Bogart that took the form of people she despised, and could practice murdering.

Walking over to the bookshelf, Bella searched through the books Dumbledore had taken of the library shelves. Bella was still puzzles why; the books weren't bad, and the chapters in them were interesting.

Finally finding the one she was looking for, Bellatrix opened and flipped through the pages of _Secrets of the Darkest Arts_, trying to find the chapter she wanted.

After a minute of searching, she took the book and sat down on chair beside the blazing fire. She skimmed the lines, until she found the section she desired most; _Unforgivable Curses._ One of her favorite chapters, it explicitly told the reader about casting, uses and mastering the curses. Bella had already read the sections on the Cruciatus and Imperius curses, and now looked to the Killing Curse, try to find out if it was detectable on a victim. _Of course it is, _she thought, _anyone can detect it, just not who cast the curse. If I kill him at dark, no one will be a witness._

Closing the book and placing in back on the shelf, Bella drew her wand from the pocket if her dark green robes. Waving it around, a number of glass jars appeared, hovering before her. She slowly she reach out, and firmly took griped a jar with a larger snake it in. The other jars vanished, leaving Bella standing by herself, holding her only jar.

Setting the jar on the floor, she backed away and pointed her wand at the jar. _BANG_. The jar exploded, sending bits of shard glass everywhere. Opening up her eyes, Bella saw the snake, slowly creep out of the jar, slithering towards her.

Quickly, Bella pointed her wand at the snake, screaming "AVADA KEVADRA!" The snake instantly stopped moving.

Waving her wand, the snake vanished, leaving no trace that the snake had once been on the stone floor.

Bella turned around, pocketing her wand. She stared at the fireplace, trying to imagine Sirius burning, caught inside the flames.

Still in deep thought, thinking of images in the flames, Bella heard a slow creak. Simultaneously, Bellatrix pulled out her wand, and whirled around to face the large oak doors, which were supposed to be invisible to everyone but her.

Without noticing who had come into the room, she had screamed "_CRUCIO!_" Storming up to the intruder, Bella stopped not believing who had just entered the room.

Regulus knelt, hunched over twitching in pain from Bella's spell. "Well," he moaned, trying to get back on his feet, "I guess we're both thinking the same thing."


	5. Strange Events

_We could have a life, us to. Maybe not like you imagined but we could get by. _

_Everything I did I swear I thought was only for the best._

_Years ago, something happened up there. Something not very nice._

_~Ms. Lovett_

**Chapter 5**

Bella quickly removed the curses from her cousin, and pocketed her wand again. Regulus got up and wandered around the room.

"Interesting set up here Bells," picked up a jar filled with a black sizzling pition, he quickly put it back jar. "'Wotcha call this? I was trying to find you, and was thinking about the Dark Lord and how he would deal with Sirius when those giant doors showed themselves." Regulus turned to face his cousin, curious for her answer.

Bella went and picked up the books she had knocked down in the motion of curses Regulus. "Well, "she started, "this is the Room of Requirements. For my purpose, it's a dueling and class room, but without any teachers." Bellatrix fell onto the chair, and stretched out her legs.

"What are the jars for? "Regulus asked, walking over to stand in front of the blazing fire.

"An assortment of things," she replied. "Potions, poisons, stuff to torture or kill…whatever I really want to use it for. No one knows of this place but me, and now you." Bella glared at him, like he had just told the school that she was planning the murder of her cousin.

"Relax, this is cool," Reg disregarded the glare Bella had shot him, and continued on coolly. "If you teach me this stuff, I won't even tell Cissy 'bout this."

Bella was taken aback by his offer. She moved the thought around in her head. After a minute of silence, she finally relaxed. "Yes, I will. But first, I'm gonna have teach you something, that way _you_ won't give us away." Regulus was grinning.

"Thank you so much Bells! When do we start?" He was walking around, trying to hide his excitement. "Tomorrow, I'll tell you when."

Bellatrix put her wand away, and started for the door, Regulus following closely behind. She didn't know how she was going to teach Regulus, but she didn't want him to tell anyone else about the room.

Slowly, she opened the great wooden door, and peered out into the corridor. No one was there, but just to be sure, she told Regulus to be quiet and wipe anyone's memory that saw him.

As soon as they were both out of the room, the great doors vanished, leaving no trace that the room was even there. "I'm going back to the common room," she hissed at Regulus. "Go somewhere else, and tell them you've been in the library or another class." Regulus nodded, and headed off towards the Great Hall.

Bellatrix turned on her heels, and quickly headed back to the Sytherin common room. She had been using the Room of Requirements since her first year, but she had never been this careful about being seen. _If Reg gives us away, I swear he won't live to see the morning, _she thought. _If I succeed in teaching him, surely the Dark Lord will honor me. _That was all she cared about. Pleasing the Dark Lord, and being at the top of his inner circle. Bella started to remember how Cissy had acted when she first told her sister that she was joining the Death Eaters.

_"No!" Cissy screeched. "Bella what are you thinking? You'll die and go to Azkaban? What will everyone think?" Bella had already begun planning her career as a Death Eater. "I won't be caught Cissy," she explained. "Slughorn says I'm one of the best witches in the school. Besides, I have to wait until I'm finished at Hogwarts before I leave." Cissy was still shaking her head. "You're going to give up r _him_. You're already near insane, and he's going to make it worse. I don't wanna loose re for you. One day you'll understand why I'm going to do this, and why it means so much to me." Bella got up from her sister, and walked out of the room, wishing she could become a Death Eater that day._

Bella shook her head, trying to rid herself of the memory. It had been three years since she had told her sister of the Death Eaters. Every time Bellatrix mentioned them, Cissy would look deep into her eyes, trying to convince her otherwise. But Bellatrix's mind was made up. She, Dolohov and Rodolphus had already been planning what they were going to do when they were made Death Eaters. She knew Dolohov would have fun, but Rodolphus was only joining because Bella was. Scabior had let slip the secret that Roddy had never wanted to join the Dark Lord, but had agreed when all his friends, but mostly Bella had made the decision.

Finally getting back to the dungeons, Bellatrix relaxed, not worrying about anyone questioning where she had been. Anyone who knew her knew that she was explosive when questioned, and anyone who didn't know her quickly found out just how explosive she could be.

Opening the door, Bella entered the common room to find Scabior stting in front of the fireplace. She slinked over to him, and flopped onto the couch. Sighing, she leaned against his arm, just wanting to fall asleep.

"Having fun planning?" he asked, moving over so Bella could lie down easier. "No," Bella yawned. "I'm tired of everyone blowing me off, saying not to worry. It seems I'm the only one who cares." Bella closed her eyes, wanting to fall asleep on the couch.

"C'mon Bella," Scabior pushed her head up. "Let's get you to bed." Bella didn't argue; she was already sounding asleep.

Groining, Scabior lift Bellatrix onto his shoulder, and carried her up into her own dorm, laying her on the bed. "Well," he whispered, "you're not the only one. He'll fall, and you'll be the one to do it."

The next morning, Bella woke up, wondering how she had gotten to her bed. The last thing she remembered was talking to Scabior on the couch, and trying to plan the murder of Sirius.

Getting out of bed, Bella pulled on her grey Slytherin sweater, and a pair of black jean shorts. Walking down the stairs to the common room, she bumped into Cissy, who was walking with her eyes closed. "Morning Bells," she yawned, barely awake. "I have a brilliant idea to get Sirius, but I'll have to tell you later. Gotta meet with Alecto at the library in 10 minutes. We have this huge Transfiguration project. "Bella was still processing what Cissy had told her, but Cissy was already bounding down the stairs to the library.

Bellatrix finished walking down the stairs, not really take what Cissy had said seriously. Looking around the common, she found Scabior sitting in a large, green velvet chair.

Walking up to the chair, Bella learned forward and whispered in his ear, "is Roddy anywhere?" Scabior shook his head.

Sighing, Bella sat dwon on Scabior's knees, leaning on his chest. "What happened last night?" she asked, trying to get comfortable by wiggling around.

"Well," he explained," you feel asleep on the couch, so I carried you up to bed. Then Roddy came in and asked where you were, so I said you had retired for the night, and he left." Scabior started to try and fix Bella's wild, long black hair with little success.

"Bloody hell," she exclaimed. "Why does he follow me everywhere? I don't even really like him or anything! He's a coward. He only stands behind me! If ever I was caught, he wouldn't even defend me!" Bella tried to get up, but she fell back into Scabior.

"Are you okay Bells?"He questioned, trying to help her stand back up. "No," she sighed. "I feel like hell and everyone keeps bugging me. I wish Kreacher was here. He always made the best tea with honey, and took excellent care of me."

Suddenly there was a loud _CRACK_ and Kreacher appeared right in front of Bella. "Kreacher!" she exclaimed, walking over to the tiny elf," why are you her?"

"Miss Bella," Kreacher whimpered, "Kreacher was summoned by Miss Cissy to come tonight but Kreacher heard Miss Bella call his name just now, so Kreacher came."

"Cissy?" Bellatrix asked, turning away from the elf to face Scabior. "Why would she want Kreacher?" Scabior started to speak, but Bella cut him off. "Never mind. Could you please tell Professor Slughorn that I am ill and will not be attending class today? I do not need to go to the hospital wing, as I have Kreacher her." Scabior nodded, grabbed his bags, and left the common room to find Slughorn.

Turning back to Kreacher, Bella spoke very softly. "Kreacher, could you please go to the kitchens and make me some tea, the way I like it, and bring it to my room." Kreacher nodded vigorously. "Kreacher lives to serve the noble and ancient house of Black, Miss Bella." Bella leaned down and patted the elf on his large head, before turning and heading up to her room. With a large _CRACK_ the house elf was gone from the common room.

In her room, Bellatrix collapsed on her bed, exhausted from just climbing the stairs. _Why, _she thought, climbing into her bed, _am I like this? It's like I have no more magic; something or someone has drained it _all. Bella pulled the covers up, and closed her eyes, waiting for Kreacher to appear with tea.

Almost as soon as she was done wishing the elf was in her room, Kreacher appeared with the usual loud _CRACK_. "Miss Black, Kreacher has brought his mistress' tea," the old elf crackled, holding the tray and bowing.

Bella slowly sat up, opening her eyes, and trying to process what the elf was saying. "Thank you Kreacher," she whispered, taking a sip of the hot tea. "Would you please stay at Hogwarts until I tell you to leave?" Kreacher nodded his great head murmuring," Kreacher lives to serve the noble and ancient house of Black."

Bellatrix placed the steaming mug of tea beside her bed, before lying back down. She was barely awake when her head touched the pillow.

"I think she's waking up." Bellatrix heard a faint whisper. Rolling over, she sat up and opened her eyes, rubbing them to try and wake up.

Cissy was sitting on a stool beside her bed. Standing beside her was Annie and Scabior. Cissy leaned over and helped Bella to sit up, propping her pillow up against the head board.

"How you doing Bells?" Cissy asked, handing her a steaming mug of tea. Bellatrix took the mug from her, and took a tiny sip.

"What do you mean, Cissy?" Bella asked, looking into her sisters deep brown eyes. "Well," Cissy explained, sitting back down. "You've been asleep for five days. No one knows why you've been asleep for so long. It looked like you had died." Cissy's voice faded away during the last sentence.

Annie spoke up next, as Cissy's eyes were filling with tears. "Cissy came up to your room, and found you in your bed. She started freaking out that you had died; Kreacher didn't help much with that. He went on saying how you ordered him here, and that you just fell into bed. He never really told anyone what happened. He's still in the corner there." Annie looked at the old elf, mumbling to himself in the corner.

"Why am still here then?" Bella asked, trying to get comfortable by wiggling around. "People were scared," Scabior stated, looking deep into Bellatrix's dull eyes. "When Cissy thought you'd died, she went n'told Slughorn, who ran to Dumbledore. Whole house was evacuated 'sept us. Dumbledore wanted us to stay with you, saying that we were the ones who had talked to you last." Scabior stared at Bella before continuing on with his story. "Dumbledore didn't wanna move you, in case something would happen to you. He didn't even bring the nurses down; just told us to watch you, and to make sure Kreacher didn't try and kill himself."

"So where is everyone? Where's Dumbledore?" Bella searched the room with her eyes, still trying to wrap her head around what Scabior, Annie and Cissy had told her. Cissy wiped her eyes. "Well," she sniffed," Dumbledore didn't know why you wouldn't wake; even move. He moved everyone into the Great Hall. The common room door's guarded all the time, so we're alone in here."

Bella tried to get out of bed, but Annie pushed her gently back down. "No, not for a while," she reminded Bellatrix. "You're to stay in bed for a day. Dumbledore is coming to ask you some questions. He wants to know why you were the way you were."

Bella groaned, but stayed in her bed. "Kreacher, do you have any food," she called faintly. Kreacher jumped up, and grabbed a tray from the floor, running to Bella's bed. "Miss Bella, Kreacher has made Miss Bella's favorite potato soup." He placed the large silver tray on his master's bed, before bowing his large, round head. "Thank you again Kreacher. You may return to 12 Grimmauld place," Bella told his, picking up the bowl of soup. Kreacher bowed his head, and was gone with the usual loud _CRACK. _

Putting the hot soup back on the tray, Bellatrix turned back to Cissy. "Do any of _you_ know what happened to me?" she asked quietly. Cissy stared at her, not really wanting to answer her question.

It was a few minutes until someone spoke, but it wasn't Cissy. "I do," a strong voice replied. Everyone turned around to see the Dark Lord standing under the room's doorframe.


	6. the new plan

**Chapter 6**

"I know what's happening to you Bellatrix. I can help. I can make all your problems go away." The Dark Lord strode over to her bed. Cissy stood up offering her stool to him, but he declined, shaking his head. "I can't help here and now, but I will help you Bellatrix. You're an amazing witch, but not as wonderful as me. I want you with me. Will you accept my offer?"

Bella sat up in her bed. "I will," she breathed. "I want to be and help with you, milord" The Dark Lord nodded. "I will send an owl to you, and then we will start." Bella nodded, and he left without another word.

Everyone was silent for a long time. Finally Annie broke the silence. "Bella," she began cautiously, "I don't think you should do this. He's a dark wizard. Dumbledore didn't know what was wrong with you, when he did. That worries me." Bella glared at her, wanting to kill her for talking back, but she couldn't move out of the bed.

"I don't know if you've heard Annie, but I'm going to be a Death Eater when I leave Hogwarts. It's been planned for a while; even Cissy knows. I'm going to see the Dark Lord when he calls on me, and there's nothing _you_ can do to stop me."

Annie squared her shoulders, and turned around, heading for the door. Stopping, she turned around to face her sister for the last time. "I've warned you Bellatrix," she stated. "Just don't expect me to help you and your Death Eaters when you're all locked up in Azkaban." Annie tuned back around, and thundered out of the room. Bella looked at Cissy and Scabior, looking for them to back her up. Neither of them said anything, still shock from what the Dark Lord and Annie had said.

"Well," Bellatrix finally stammered, "she's at the top off _my_ hit list next to Sirius now." Scabior laughed, but Cissy had a look of distress painted on her face. Before Bella could ask her sister what was wrong, Dumbledore and Slughorn walked into the room.

Scabior and Cissy stepped back from the bed, so Bellatrix could see the professors. "Miss Bellatrix Black," Dumbledore remarked, nodding to Cisssy and Scabior, who returned the nod curtly. Dumbledore turned to face Cissy and Scabior. "Would you both please wait in the common room for a while," he insisted," I will call you back when we need you." Cissy and Scabior quickly got up from the bed, and headed down to the common room, waiting to be called back to Bella's room.

Bellatrix sat up in her bed, propping pillows up behind her back to support her. Even though she was awake, Bella was weak and didn't feel like getting out of bed to meet with Dumbledore. If she was allowed to, she would have go to sleep and made Dumbledore wait to have his meeting.

Pulling up two stools, Dumbledore and Slughorn sat down where Cissy and Scabior had recently been. "Bellatrix, this may be rash but could you please describe what happened before you fell asleep?" Bella thought for a minute before answering. Taking a deep breath, she began quietly, "I had just come back from the library, and I met Scabior in the common room." Bella knew she had really been in the Room of Requirements with Regulus, but she knew that Dumbledore would question her more. Continuing from her memory of that night, she told the rest of the story. "I talked to Scabior for a while, but I was really tired. He was just going to take me up to my room when Kreacher appeared. He helped me up to bed, and Scabior went to tell Professor Slughorn that I was ill. I went to bed, and fell asleep." Bella stopped, waiting for either of the men to speak, and voice their opinion.

It was Slughorn who spoke next to Bellatrix's surprise. Crackling, he told Dumbledore "Surly Albus, the girl was not poisoned. Otherwise, Miss Black would most likely no longer be with us." Dumbledore nodded. "Most likely Horace, Bellatrix was feeling a little under the weather, and simply needed her rest." Looking at Bellatrix, she didn't know whether to agree or not. Smiling she replied steadily, "that was probably the case Headmaster. I was tired from classes, and just needed rest."

Getting up from her bedside, Albus spoke quietly, "let us leave Miss Black to rest Horace. I do not expect her to be able to rise from her room for a day or two." The professors got up, vanish their stools and left Bella's room. She heard them telling Cissy and Scabior that they could see her again.

Lying back down, Bella closed her eyes, wondering what had really happened to her that night. Bella opened her eyes when she heard Cissy and Scabior enter the room. This time, Regulus trailed slightly behind, waiting to see if his cousin wished for his company.

Cissy and Scabior went to Bella's bed and sat down, letting Bellatrix look at her cousin. "Hey Reg, anyone ask you where you were?" Bella tried to be sarcastic, but lacked the energy. Regulus laughed, and walked over to sit beside Cissy. "Nope, never did. But I do have some news to share," Regulus mocked, eyes dancing. Bella glared him, "Well Reg, spit it out. We don't have all day." Regulus laughed, enjoying Bella's death stare.

Regulus leaned back, and started to whisper," Sirius. While I was heading towards the library, I took a short cut, and found our little cousin with his mudblood friends." Bella leaned forward as Reg continues, wanting to hear exactly what he said. "I hid in a corner, to see Sirius double-over in pain. His friends helped him to his feet, but he fell back down, screaming in pain." A smile danced across Regulus' face, obviously happy that is brother had been in pain. "Couple professors came running to find him laying in his own a pool of blood. Got outta there when everyone started showing up, but I heard someone saying that seemed he was being stabbed by an invisible sword."

Bella stared at Regulus, not sure what to make of what he had just told her. Finally, she started laughing, falling back down on her bed. Regulus tried to laugh, but couldn't see why Bellatrix was laughing. "Well that's great!"Bella finally managed to say, still giggling. "Someone's already tried to murder him! This is great; he's vulnerable now, so we can get at him easier."

Regulus raised his eyebrows, with a smirk on his face. "Should be," he restored," but he's being kept in the Gryffindor common room, so in case you haven't noticed we can't go in and just murder him." Bella stopped laughing, wondering just _how_ they were going to get to Sirius.

Suddenly, Cissy jumped off the bed, gasping. "I was going to tell you Bells when I got back from the library! I thought we could send Kreacher in a get him to tell us what the Gryffindor tower's floor plans are! He's a house elf, so he won't be noticed at night!" Cissy's eyes were glowing, proud that she had come up with a brilliant plan.

Scabior nodded slowly, "this could work…" he mumbled. Regulus nodded too, but Bellatrix was shaking her head in disagreement. "We won't be able to get in anyways. There's the Fat Lady who'll ask us the password. When she sees were not Gryffindors, she'll sound the alarms, and then Sirius will know we were after him. He'll blame the attack on us."

Cissy sat back down on the bed, upset that her once brilliant plan had failed. "We need to be invisible to get in," she whispered. "And only you Bella can do a delusional charm. We can't let you go by yourself." Bella thought for a minute of a way to get into the tower. Finally she sat back up. "Your right Cissy, we need Kreacher. If he gets what I believe Sirius uses, we can be in and out without even the Fat Lady knowing."


End file.
